How life has changed in Burnley

Burnley's population decreased by about 2,500 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population decreased

In the decade to 2011, the population of Burnley fell by 2.8%, from about 89,500 to 87,100.

The loss of about 2,000 people means this area's population decreased by 2.8% between that last two censuses, while the population of England increased by 7.9%

In 2011, Burnley was home to, on average, 5.6 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Burnley

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Burnley increased by two years, from 37 to 39 years.

This area had a slightly higher average age than the North West and had a similar age to the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 2,200 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 10 and 19 years decreased by about 2,000.

About 12.0% of people in Burnley are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Burnley by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer homes with children

Burnley saw England's largest fall in the proportion of households with children.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29.2%) households in Burnley had at least one dependent child, compared with 33.7% in 2001. The percentage with no children increased from 56.7% to 60.3%.

Redbridge saw England's next largest rise in the proportion of households with children (from 33.2% to 38.5%).

The proportion of households with children was higher than across the North West

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Burnley residents that were unemployed increased from 3.1% to 5.3% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in two (51.0%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 52.8% in 2001. The percentage of Burnley residents that were self-employed increased from 6.2% to 7.2%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased faster here than in any other local authority district across the North West. The improvement brought health in Burnley close to the national average 4.4% in England described their health as good in 2011).

The rate of unemployment in Burnley increased by 2.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Burnley, the North West and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

More people living alone

Burnley saw the North West's third-largest rise in the proportion of one-person households.

In 2011, just under one in three (33.3%) households in Burnley had only one person, compared with 29.9% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising an unmarried couple increased from 8.9% to 10.4%.

Across the region, only Barrow-in-Furness (from 29.9% to 34.6%) and Hyndburn (from 28.7% to 32.2%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of one-person households.

During this period, Burnley overtook 10 local authority areas, including Stockport and Copeland, to become the North West local authority area with the 10th-highest percentage of one-person households.

The percentage of households with only one person was higher than across the North West

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Disability in Burnley

The percentage of Burnley residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.6% to 4.6% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 7.3%, while the percentage of Burnley residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 88.7%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 3.7% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Burnley

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Burnley was among those who said they had no religion, rising 9.1 points.

In 2011, 21.0% of respondents in Burnley gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 11.9% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the North West, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 11.3% to 21.1%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Burnley, 67.7% said they were Christian, compared with 80.3% in 2001. About 10.5% said they were Muslim, compared with 7.1% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism increased from 0.2% to 0.3%.

In Burnley, 6.0% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.3% in 2001. Across the North West, 6.2% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population that said they had no religion in Burnley increased by 9.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, North West and Burnley by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Burnley that rented privately increased from 10.7% to 19.4% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under one in seven (14.1%) households lived in social housing, compared with 15.0% in 2001. The percentage of Burnley households that owned their home decreased from 71.9% to 65.0%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 8.5% in 2001 to 15.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in Burnley increased by 8.7 percentage points

Percentage of households in Burnley, the North West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer married people

The percentage of adults in Burnley that were married decreased from 50.4% to 45.0% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in three (33.4%) people aged 16 and over said they were single, compared with 27.7% in 2001. The percentage of adults in Burnley that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 12.7% to 13.8%.

The proportion of married people fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 49.8% in 2001 to 45.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 50.6% to 46.6%.

The proportion of married people was higher than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Burnley residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 11.9% to 7.7% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (76.6%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 64.8% in 2001. The percentage of Burnley residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23.3% to 15.7%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11.0% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Burnley decreased by 4.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Burnley, the North West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Burnley

In 2011, 11.0% of Burnley residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from 7.3% in 2001. The 3.7 percentage point change was the largest increase among ethnic groups in this area.

Across the North West, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 3.8% to 6.2%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 87.4% of people in Burnley said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 91.8% in 2001. About 1.1% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.7% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Other ethnic groups (Arab or any other ethnic group) increased from 0.1% to 0.3%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Burnley increased by 3.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Burnley by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Burnley working less than 16 hours increased from 1.6% to 3.0% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 16 (6.5%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 8.9% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 1.7% in 2001 to 3.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Burnley increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Burnley, the North West and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Burnley residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.2% to 1.6% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.0%) reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 2.5% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 1.3% in 2001 to 1.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Burnley remained close to 1.6%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Burnley by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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